Overwintering dulcet potato vine is easy , and a smashing way to lay aside your favorites year after yr .
In this mail , I will show you three different methods for keep sweetened white potato vines over wintertime .
Ornamental sweet potato vine ( Ipomoea batatas ) are gorgeous , and extremely popular decorative makeweight plants for annual gardens and summer container .
Different types of sweet potato vines in planters outdoors
But they do n’t tolerate the common cold , are not audacious in freezing mood . So if I left them in the ground here in MN , they would not survive the wintertime .
But it ’s expensive to corrupt new one every spring ( I do n’t understand why they ’re so expensive ! ) . So , since it ’s very easy , I make certain to winter my sweet potato vine every year to save myself some cash come in springtime .
It does take some study , but it ’s deserving the effort to save these gorgeous industrial plant . Below I ’ll show you three different method acting for how to do it .
Table of Contents
Sweet Potato Vine Cold Tolerance
Though they are commonly sold as an annual bedding plants in the spring , decorative sweet-smelling white potato vines , or Ipomoea batatas , are in reality tender perennials .
They ’re middling cold tolerant , and can subsist the wintertime in milder clime of zone 9 and high , where it only gets below freezing for a unforesightful time .
However , if you live in a cold climate like I do , odoriferous white potato vines will not survive the winter if left outdoors . So we must winter them indoors .
Related Post : How To Overwinter Plants : The Complete Guide
3 Methods For Overwintering Sweet Potato Vines
There are three methods you could try for overwinter sweet potato vines . These methods will work for all form .
So whether you have the common chartreuse diverseness , variegated , purple , or some other hybrid , you could observe these same dance step .
How To Overwinter Sweet Potato Vine Indoors
Below I will discuss the three methods in more particular . If you ’ve never tried overwintering sweet potato vines before , I further you to render each of these to see which one works well for you .
Some people find one proficiency loose than the others , so it ’s a good idea to experiment to happen your favorite .
1. Keeping Sweet Potato Vine As A Houseplant
One popular method for overwinter sweet potato vines is to convey the whole thing indoors and keep it as a houseplant .
If yours is too bountiful for your home , you could prune it down to a manageable size before bringing it indoors .
Just keep in mind that , since it is used to being alfresco , it may go into shock after you bring it inside .
You may notice that it looks droopy , and it might even overlook a few leaves when you first move it indoors .
But do n’t worry , it should convalesce within a few days once it gets used to its new environment .
2. Storing Ornamental Sweet Potato Vine Tubers
Just like the eatable varieties , cosmetic sweet-flavored Solanum tuberosum vine also constitute large tubers ( aka : incandescent lamp or potatoes ) under the territory .
Those tubers can be packed in a box filled with withpeat mossorcoco coirand stored for the winter , just like you would do with other tropic bulbs .
This is the good method acting to expend if you do n’t want to worry about caring for plant or carving indoors , you do n’t have the blank for them , or if the foliage was damage or killed by rime before you could get it indoors .
To trip dormancy , permit the plant to be exposed to cold temperature in the downfall , or even touched by a light-headed freeze . Do n’t let it freeze though , or the genus Tuber may not store well .
Then you may just snub off the dead foliage , and impart the tubers in the batch . Or you’re able to dig them up and store them in a box for the winter .
Either way , keep them in a dry , colored , above freeze location until spring . Get step - by - step program line forhow to winter bulbs and genus Tuber here .
3. Overwintering Sweet Potato Vine Cuttings Indoors
My preferred method of overwintering sweet potato vine is to take cutting in the spill . They root easily in water , and can be kept inside all winter .
This fashion , I can just discard the principal plant , and I do n’t have to bother bringing the whole thing indoors .
ascertain the H2O periodically to make trusted it ’s not slimy or evaporating too apace . Keep it above the root at all times so they never dry out out .
If the water becomes wretched , ditch it out and rinse the vase with max and water . wash the root word in lukewarm water before place them back into the vase .
Otherwise pot them up into a container once the roots have mould . you’re able to just expend ageneral purpose soilfor potting them . Learn how to take cuttings and disperse them here .
Bringing Sweet Potato Vines Indoors For Winter
When To Bring Sweet Potato Vine Inside
If you want to examine to save either alive works or cuttings over winter , then you should definitely bring them inside before it gets below 60 ° F outdoors .
This is ordinarily several weeks before your first freeze date in the declivity .
Otherwise , cold weather condition will trigger the flora to start run short hibernating , and it may not survive after bringing it in .
But if you plan to stack away the genus Tuber , you could leave it outside until the foliage pass back on its own . However , in edict for the incandescent lamp to survive in storehouse , you must protect them from freezing .
How To Bring Sweet Potato Vine In For Winter
If need to try winter sweet Irish potato vines as houseplants or cuttings , then you should definitelydebug them before bring them indoors .
you’re able to use the same method for the cuttings , or you’re able to just wash them in a cesspit instead . imbue them for 10 - 15 second will overwhelm any insects that are on the leave .
I like to add a squirt ofmild liquid soapto the water system to kill the bugs faster . Then just wash the cuttings off before putting them into the vase .
Once you have them inside , select a sunny spot where you could keep them until fountain . There ’s no need to debug them if you ’re storing only the tubers , and those should be keep in a nerveless dark location .
Ornamental Sweet Potato Vine Winter Care Tips
Caring for fresh Solanum tuberosum vine plants indoors is a bit more difficult than it is alfresco – especially during the winter .
The three most significant thing you ’ll need to worry about are easy , watering , and pest control . Below are my tips for keeping them live and healthy through the winter .
You canlearn all about how to care for sweet-smelling potato vines here , but below are my tips for get them through the wintertime indoors .
Light Requirements
perfumed Solanum tuberosum vines do best in a gay window , but they also tolerate lower light atmospheric condition . The cuttings should be identify in a post that gets bright , collateral luminosity rather than in full sun .
If you discover it ’s becoming leggy and reaching for window , then adda develop light . you’re able to punch it into anoutlet timerto secure it ’s dumbfound enough light throughout the twenty-four hours .
Watering In Winter
Established sweet potato vines do n’t require a lot of piddle during the winter months . It ’s near to keep the soil on the dry side so that you do n’t circumstantially overwater .
However , if you rent them dry out too much , then it will trigger dormancy , and the leafage will bulge out to die back . So , keep the soil slightly moist , allowing the top inch or so to dry out out between waterings .
If this is a struggle for you , I recommend have an inexpensivesoil wet gaugeto assistant you get it perfect every time .
Controlling Bugs
In my experience , one of the biggest challenges of overwintering sweet-flavored potato vine works or cuttings indoors is dealing with bugs .
Whiteflies and spider tinge know the leaf , and the soil can become infest with fungus gnats . If you pick up any of these pesterer , it ’s best to act cursorily to get rid of them .
Wash the leaves withorganic insecticidal Georgia home boy , or mix your own using 1 teaspoonful ofmild liquidity soapper 1 liter of water .
Neem oilis an organic production that also works great to kill bugs , and prevents future infestations .
Moving Sweet Potato Vine Back Outside In Spring
After overwintering sweet potato vine indoors , you ’re likely to be nervous to move it back outside once it go getting warm in the give . But you must do it at the proper clip in edict for them to survive . So follow these tips .
When To Move The Live Plants Back Outside
Since they can not stand the frigidness , wait to move alive plants and film editing back outside until after your last hoarfrost date in the spring . To be dependable , I recommend waiting until nighttime temps are above 60 ° F .
If there ’s a late frost in the forecast , move them into a garage or back inside the planetary house to protect them . Do n’t essay covering them , or they may not survive .
When To Plant The Dormant Tubers
you’re able to pot up stored tubers 6 - 8 workweek before your last icing appointment if you want to start them early indoors .
Otherwise , wait until the dirt in your garden has warm to 60 ° F . you’re able to use asoil thermometerto contain it .
If you want to essay breaking their dormancy faster , pluck them in quick water or acompost teasolution overnight before planting them .
Move potted tubers to a bright room 6 - 8 weeks before you’re able to put them outside . Give it a good drink of water , and allow the extra to drain wholly from the potty .
you’re able to also try putting them on aheat matto service wake up them up quicker .
How To Move It Back Outside
Since your sweet potato vine is used to live a protected life indoors , you ’ll need to decent acclimate them back to living outside again .
The light indoors is much less intense than the sun outside . So if you put them into the full sun directly aside , they will likely get sunburn .
So place it in a funny spot for a couple of weeks , and lento move it to the Lord’s Day so it can adapt .
If the leaves begin to scorch , move it back to the shade for a few more days . Soon you ’ll be able to put it in its full sunlight localization .
Overwintering Sweet Potato Vine FAQs
Do ornamental sweet potato vines come back every year?
Ornamental seraphic potato vines will arrive back every twelvemonth if you live in a quick enough climate ( zones 9 + ) . However , they will not outlive out of doors through the winter in stale climates .
How do you store sweet potato vine tubers for the winter?
To stash away sweet potato vine tubers for wintertime , carefully dig them up so you do n’t unintentionally damage them . Then move out all of the leave and stems and permit them heal ( dry out ) for a day or so . Pack them in a box so they are n’t touching , fill it withpeat mossorcoco coir , and stash away it in a coolheaded , dry location until spring .
How long can you store sweet potato vine tubers?
you could store sweet potato vine tuber for 6 - 8 month , if done in good order . However , do n’t seek to put in them much longer than that . It ’s right to plant them every twelvemonth , otherwise they will finally dry out and die .
Will sweet potato vines survive winter outside?
perfumed potato vine will come through the wintertime alfresco if you live in zones 9 or higher . For harsher climates , they must be brought indoors in parliamentary law to survive .
How much cold can sweet potato vines tolerate?
Sweet potato vine ca n’t bear very much cold-blooded , they will start to die back once them temperature get consistently below 60 ° fluorine . However , the tubers in the ground are sturdy , and can tolerate brief full stop of below freezing temp .
What is the lowest temperature sweet potato vine can tolerate?
The lowest temperature sweet potato vine can tolerate is 15 ° F , but only for a very abbreviated stop of time . The plant will die back once it gets below freeze , however the tubers can still live underground .
Overwintering fresh potato vines ingest a turn of work . But now that you eff how to lay aside them , you may experiment with the three methods to find the one that ’s easy for you . Once you get the hang of it , you ’ll be able-bodied to keep them class after twelvemonth , and save yourself some cash !
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